Role | UX design, Research, Ideation, Branding, Prototyping Timeline | Feb - May 2022 (12 weeks) Tools | Figma, Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Maya Mentor | Rachel Draper, Brian Boyl
Dozone
An on-demand autonomous DIY platform that empowers makers. Its goal is to bring tools, spaces, and communities together to help users to bring their creative vision to life.
Context
Working on DIY projects is a great way to relax after a stressful day at work or as a means to cope during hard periods. In fact, there has been an increase in demand for a variety of arts-and-crafts activities while people are socially distancing, focusing on the positive impacts including stress and anxiety reduction. However, there are common challenges when it comes to starting a new DIY project such as not having a place or tools for crafting and not knowing how to use the equipment. Designing a platform that addresses these pain points will reduce the entry barrier of DIY crafting and increase its market revenue.
The DIY market was worth $819.53 billion in 2018. It is estimated that it will grow to $1137.57 billion by 2025
Comfy Living, January 2022
The global DIY retailing market is expected to grow by 4% between 2019 and 2023.
Comfy Living, January 2022
People are using small DIY projects as a means to beat stress.
Comfy Living, January 2022
The Problem
Don’t have all the tools at first
Don’t have a space for crafting
Not familiar with tools
Don’t have a creative community
A design challenge emerged....
How might we design a system for makers that brings tools, spaces, and communities together?
User Goals
Goal 1 To easily reserve a creative space
Goal 2 To access necessary tools
Goal 3 To be part of creative community
The Solution
Dozone is an on-demand autonomous DIY platform designed for makers who are looking for creative outlets. Its goal is to bring tools, spaces, and communities together to help users to bring their creative vision to life. Dozone has its own ecosystem of products including an app, autonomous workshop, tool vending machine, MR safety glasses, and workshop parking lot. Each of these products serves as a unique solution that addresses users' needs at different touch points throughout the DIY crafting journey.
App
Dozone app is designed to be used at the beginning phase of the crafting journey where users look for inspiration to start any DIY project, reserve a space to work, and complete the demo before accessing the workshop.
Key Features
Get inspired
Users can choose any zone they want and browse ongoing DIY projects that other Doers are working on.
Collaborate
Users can see the details of the projects and choose to participate if they want. Once they participate in the projects, users are allowed to access and share resources with other Doers.
Book the Zone
After deciding what projects they want to participate in, users can book a Zone where they can work on the project. For example, if they're participating in "Leather Card Holder" project, they can book 'Leatherzone'. Users can choose either 'on-site' or 'on-the-go' to access the workshop.
Complete Demo& Receive a Code
Users will be asked to complete the demos on how to use the equipment at the specific zone prior to the visit. Once they complete watching the demos, they'll be receiving a validations code which they can scan to check in and out of the zone and rent out tools.
Autonomous Workshop
Autonomous workshop is one of the main parts of Dozone system which provides an on-demand space for DIY projects. There are different types of workshops including Leatherzone, Woodzone, Ceramiczone, Metalzone, etc.
Tool Vending Machine
Each Dozone workshop has its own tool vending machine where users rent out tools that are required for crafting.
MR Safety Glasses
MR glasses are another part of the ecosystem which helps users to watch demo or tutorial videos while crafting at Dozone workshops. They also perform as safety glasses.
Workshop Parking Lot
The autonomous workshop parking lot is another part of Dozone system where users can visit and access multiple workshops on-site such as Woodzone, Leatherzone, Ceramiczone, etc.
Measuring Success
To measure the success of the platform and its future iterations, I’d track: • Reservation Completion Time • Reservation Success Rate • NPS (Net Promoter Score) • Project Competition Rate (% of completed projects from all the 'participated' projects) • Retention Overtime • Engagement
Design System
Guide Words
Logo
App Icon
Color
Layout System
Button
Icon
Design Process
Pain Points
01 Don’t have all the tools Starters don’t have all the tools ready as they start crafting. Some DIY projects require more tools than others. Beginners are usually not sure if they're committed enough to purchase all the required tools yet.
02 Don’t have a space for crafting Renting an art studio might not be a feasible option for everyone. Besides the fact that renting a studio can be pricy, some people might only need the space for a few hours instead of a month or a year.
03 Not familiar with tools One of the huge barriers to learning crafting for beginners is not knowing how to use tools and equipment.
04 Don’t have a creative community Surrounded by a creative environment is vital to constantly get motivated, inspired, and get informed with the newest information. However, it’s not easy to find a good community with like-minded people when stepping into a new field.
Magic Moments
01 Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a system to reserve a spot at workshops by hours to access their tools and equipment?
02 Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a system that guides you on how to use the tool for the first time?
03 Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a system that helps you to get connected with a creative community of your interest?
User Goals
01 To easily reserve a creative space Easily search creative spaces nearby with filters / Check available tools / See spaces available / Reserve / Check-in
02 To access necessary tools Get demos+instructions / Repeats demos as needed / Get alerts if the position of using tools is incorrect
03 To be part of the creative community Option to apply to participate in other people’s projects / Get feedback and support from other creatives.
Competitive Analysis
Positioning Matrix
Target Market
Demographic • 25-35 years old / Working Professionals • Makers, Creatives, Artists, Designers • Looking for creative outlets • Wants to learn new crafting skills • Wants to be surrounded by the creative environment • Wants to collaborate with other creatives • Like: crafting, exploring, self-learning • Dislikes: binge shopping, over-priced goods
Design Criteria
Mission Statement
Dozone is a unique, on-demand DIY platform that empowers makers. Our goal is to bring tools, spaces, and communities together to help users to bring their creative vision to life.
Interview Experts
• “When I was looking for a crafting space, I was considering how far it was located and how much it costs. I couldn’t find the one I wanted. They were either too pricy or too far away.” • “I wish I had a garage. If then, I’d buy some tools and equipment there.” • “Opening hours are really important for me since I work 9-5. I prefer 24-hour access.” • “I wish applying process was easier like just submitting the form rather than calling them or writing an email from the scratch.” • “It was intimidating to use the equipment for the first time. Especially the loud ones.” • “It’s inspiring to be working around people who already know what they are doing.“ • “I wish there was a price clearly written on the website so I don’t have to call them to ask.”
• The last time when I was making a painting easel, I got the wood measurements from the tutorial video and followed the steps. When I completed the piece, the actual size of the outcome was larger than I expected in real-life. I wish I could have gotten a sense of the actual size of the outcome beforehand. • It was fun to browse and pick wood pieces at the store but I wish getting wood pieces were easier where I wouldn't need to go to a store to purchase and pick them up in my car which barely fit in. • Accessibility to various equipment directly affects how far you can create your vision. Last time I wasn’t fully satisfied with my outcome because I didn’t have certain tools to further develop my piece.
Summarized Findings
User Persona
Based on the research, I created a user persona to synthesize and communicate the findings. This strategy helped me to empathize with the target users and keep in mind their pain points and motivations to design digital products that are tailored to their needs and wants.
Stages involved in the system
User Journey
I incorporated a user journey into the design process to examine the different stages that users go through to start a new DIY project. This strategy helped me to identify the moments of opportunity to make the experience better for the users.
